In my earlier issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,8O5,799, novel containers are disclosed which include a substantially rigid upper container segment, a flexible bladder integral with, and depending from, the upper container segment, and a lower substantially rigid container segment attached to the upper container segment so that the flexible bladder is housed therewithin. While the containers disclosed in that patent are usable in many end-use applications, certain specialized end-use applications demand equally specialized containers.
The containers of the present invention represent improvements over the container disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,799 and in my earlier filed parent and related applications, and are therefore particularly well suited for use in additional special end-use applications as described further herein.
For example, in the packaging of foodstuffs and particularly relatively thick or viscous liquid foodstuffs typically shipped in large volume, e.g., five gallon containers, there is a need for strong yet economical leak-proof containers which are capable of standing up to the rigors of shipping, stacking, handling, storage, etc. By means of the present invention, container assemblies are provided which meet or exceed these requirements.
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a composite container includes an outer metal or plastic container body having relatively rigid side, bottom and top walls, with the top wall having a centrally located aperture for insertion and removal of an inner container in the form of a thin, flexible liner or bladder. In this exemplary embodiment, the inner liner or bladder includes a relatively thin peripheral side wall and bottom wall, and a relatively thicker upper portion including a top wall formed with an integral pour spout. The side wall and bottom wall of the outer container body provide substantially full surface support for the side and top walls of the inner liner (in all embodiments). The pour spout is provided with a peripheral groove which may be snap fit within the aperture formed in the outer container after the major portion of the liner or bladder has been collapsed and inserted into the outer container through the aperture. The pour spout itself has a thin peripheral upper portion which allows the spout to be collapsed to an inoperative or retracted position, with the major portion of the spout being located beneath the top wall of the outer container to facilitate shipment and vertical stacking. Suitable closures may be provided for closing the otherwise open upper end of the pouring spout.
Also in this exemplary embodiment, venting apertures may be provided in the top wall of the outer container body to allow the interior thereof to be subject to atmospheric pressure which facilitates pouring of liquid contents from within the flexible and collapsible bladder or liner.
It is another feature of this first exemplary embodiment of the invention that vertically (i.e., axially) extending, integrally formed ribs or grooves may be provided on the peripheral side wall of the inner bladder or liner, not only to provide some degree of rigidity to the liner, but also to provide a flow path for air along the peripheral side wall of the bladder to facilitate removal of the liner from the outer container body. By adding some rigidity in the axial direction, the liner is prevented from collapsing during pouring.
In a second exemplary embodiment of the invention, the outer container may comprise a relatively rigid plastic or metal drum body having an upper open end provided with an annular bead about its upper edge. An inner container in the form of a bladder or liner, having a relatively thin collapsible side wall, a bottom wall and a relatively rigid top wall including a pouring spout and a vent spout, may be supported on the annular bead of the outer drum by means of an integral flexible flange provided about the upper end of the liner or bladder. This flexible flange may be fitted over the annular bead of the rigid outer container and secured thereto by a retaining ring which pinches the liner flange securely against the annular bead.
In a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an inner container in the form of a liner or bladder may be supported within a relatively rigid outer container wherein substantially all of the top wall and spout arrangement of the inner liner or bladder is exposed, but mounted within a recessed area of the top wall of the outer container. As a result, an enlarged peripheral portion of the outer container is vertically spaced relative to the interior liner or bladder to thereby provide a shock-absorber like chamber which facilitates nesting of a plurality of the containers while at the same time protecting the inner liner or bladder.
In a fourth exemplary embodiment, a flexible inner container in the form of a liner or bladder is supported within a relatively rigid outer container, and the inner liner is formed with a relatively rigid upper portion including a pouring spout, the upper portion extending above the peripheral side wall of the relatively rigid outer container. A relatively rigid cover may then be applied, (preferably snap fit) over the upper portion of the flexible liner and detachably secured thereto.
In a fifth exemplary embodiment, there is described a composite container including a flexible inner container in the form of a liner or bladder detachably secured to a relatively rigid outer container body in much the same manner as in the first described embodiment but wherein the pouring spout is not movable or collapsible between operative and inoperative positions.
In a sixth exemplary embodiment, a collapsible inner container o liner is detachably securable within a relatively rigid outer container including a top wall and a recessed aperture. The recessed aperture allows the inner liner or bladder pour spout to be located below a peripheral top wall bead to facilitate vertical stacking without requiring a collapsibility feature for the liner spout.
In its broadest aspect, the present invention provides a container assembly comprising a relatively rigid outer container body having a first peripheral side wall and a first bottom wall; a relatively thin, flexible and collapsible container body having a second peripheral sidewall, a second bottom wall and a top wall, the top wall having an integral dispensing portion formed therein, wherein the inner container is nested within the outer container so that substantially all of the second peripheral side and bottom walls are in engagement with an supported by the outer container, and wherein the inner container is releasably securable within the outer container.
Additional objects and advantages of the variously described exemplary embodiments of the invention will become apparent after careful consideration of the detailed description which follows.